The Rs 2,134-crore Anakkampoyil–Kalladi–Meppadi tunnel road project in Kerala has received Stage-II (final) environmental clearance, paving the way for full-scale construction. The approval, granted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s Bengaluru regional office, allows diversion of 17.263 hectares of forest land.
The 8.73-km twin tunnel, aimed at providing an all-weather alternative to the congested Thamarassery Ghat Road, will significantly improve connectivity between Wayanad and Kozhikode. The project is being executed by Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd, with funding from KIIFB, and is expected to be completed in four years.
Preparatory works are already underway, with tunnel boring set to begin from the Kozhikode side in early March, while site readiness on the Wayanad end is expected shortly after.
Strict environmental safeguards accompany the clearance, including compensatory afforestation, minimal tree felling, protection of wildlife corridors, and a ban on surface disruption above the tunnel alignment.
Once completed, the tunnel is expected to boost regional connectivity, ease travel through the Western Ghats, and drive economic growth in Wayanad by linking it more efficiently to coastal areas.